The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning that will go into effect at 3 a.m. Monday and will extend into early Wednesday.
The high temperatures throughout that period will be below 0 degrees and wind chills will reach 35 to 45 degrees below zero. Frostbite can occur in 10 minutes or less with these temperatures and wind chills and so we wish to reinforce the significant risks of spending time outdoors. Children, the elderly, those suffering from many medical conditions and pets are extremely susceptible to hypothermia and frostbite. We encourage the great members of our community to check on their elderly family and neighbors to ensure they are safe and warm.
The City of Portage will activate its warming center protocols beginning Sunday night. Residents in need of a warming center can go to any of the City’s three fire stations for assistance. Residents can call our emergency management hotline at 764-5751 for additional assistance. As always, those with emergencies should dial 911.
It has been determined that it is unsafe to have our sanitation crews and other outdoor personnel out in the elements on Monday and Tuesday; therefore, this week’s trash and recycling will be delayed 2 days. Monday’s routes will be picked up Wednesday, Tuesday’s on Thursday, Wednesday’s on Friday and Thursday’s on Saturday. All of this week’s trash and recycling will have been picked up by Saturday. A notification call will be sent out to residents Sunday night to advise them of this change and we also ask residents to assist us by ensuring that their neighbors are aware of this change.
Also, roadways may be dangerously slick throughout the City and throughout Northwest Indiana and the extremely low temperatures will make spreading salt useless.
Residents with weather related issues or questions regarding the Blackboard Connect notification system that we have been utilizing to notify residents can call our Emergency Management Hotline at 764-5751.